Chapter 92 Sowing Discord I thought the young master had somewhere else to go tonight…
As the sun rises in the east and the morning mist dissipates, wisps of smoke begin to rise from the chimneys along the long street. The roof ridge beasts on the eaves hold wisps of the morning glow, and the lotus flowers in the corners of the walls, still in bloom, are tinged with a bright red hue. Two or three dragonflies leap across the rippling water and alight on the lotus flowers.
The majestic palace gates were wide open, and under the escort of the imperial guards, an imperial edict was sent straight to the residence of the Marquis of Ding'an.
As the eunuch's melodious voice rang out, news of Qin Jin's appointment as Right Protector of the Divine Strategy Army spread throughout the streets and alleys of Chang'an in no time.
The Right Shence Army Protector General is a crucial position concerning the core of imperial power. It is a sharp sword under the emperor's authority, representing not only one's background and ability but also the emperor's trust. It is difficult for anyone but a trusted confidant to hold the position. Although there is no explicit rank, its actual status is self-evident and far exceeds that of a second-rank official.
Qin Jin had been suppressed by the Empress Dowager's faction for many years. Today, His Majesty's imperial edict was issued, awarding Qin Jin the official position that the Empress Dowager's faction had coveted for many years. His intentions were obvious.
Inside the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager abruptly stood up, her face ashen. She angrily slammed down the teacup on the table, spilling steaming tea all over the floor. The palace servants attending her knelt down, heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound.
Upon hearing the news, Xue Xiude's expression instantly turned serious. His dark face tightened, and he lost his appetite as he looked at the meal before him. After a moment of silence, he summoned his personal guard, his brow furrowed, and whispered a few instructions in his ear.
In the inner courtyard of the Xue residence, Xue Fengchun stood up and walked to the corridor. The servants sweeping and cleaning hurriedly bowed and greeted her, but she waved them away. Looking at the jasmine flowers beside her, now withered, she smiled slightly: "It seems my elder sister is going to benefit from this misfortune."
Her voice was soft, echoing in the empty courtyard: "Any news from the people sent to thoroughly investigate the rumors?"
"There's still no lead," the personal maid replied, bowing her head. "Second Madam Xue has made many enemies in Chang'an, making it difficult to discern the truth for the time being."
After a moment's hesitation, the personal maid still asked, puzzled, "These rumors are just rumors that have nothing to do with us. Why do you bother with them, Madam? I don't think even Second Madam Xue is bothered by them."
“She’s not bothered because someone is helping her investigate, and there’s more than one person. But I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
With her slender, pale fingers climbing a branch, Xue Fengchun plucked a jasmine flower and gently swayed it under her nose: "Aren't you afraid that when they investigate, the investigation will eventually find out about us?"
The personal maid was startled: "Does Madam mean...?"
Xue Fengchun snorted lightly, a cold glint flashing in his narrow phoenix eyes: "They dislike Xue Rongyue and want to deal with her, that's none of my business, but if they want to sit back and watch the tigers fight, and use me as a raft, they're dreaming."
The personal maidservant said solemnly, "This servant understands, and will certainly order them to continue the thorough investigation. However... the Imperial Guard is currently searching for the bandits from that day day and night. What if they trace us back to..."
"With the Crown Prince here, what is there to be afraid of?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Fengchun didn't seem to care. She stood up, plucked a jasmine branch, and gracefully walked across the corridor. Her soft voice was gradually carried away by the breeze: "If even these things can't be resolved, then there's no need for me to form an alliance with him."
A long wind carries tiny jasmine blossoms over the branches, ringing the bronze bells under the eaves, sweeping through bustling streets and alleys, passing pavilions and towers, and finally settling back on the branches.
Xue Rongyue stood under the eaves, raised her hand to catch the flowers swaying in the wind, and said in a sarcastic tone, "His Majesty really favors him. From now on, we should address him as Lord Qin."
Jingnu smiled and said, "The higher the official rank of Prince Qin, the better your life will be after you marry him. Why are you still not satisfied, my lady?"
Xue Rongyue pursed her lips, but instead brought up another matter: "Did Jiang Shiyan say why he wanted to see me?"
A few days ago, Xue Rongyue received a letter from Jiang Shiyan saying that he was preparing to return to Chang'an. Last night, she learned that he had arrived in Chang'an. This morning, Jiang Shiyan found Jingnu and wanted to invite Xue Rongyue to a teahouse for a chat.
Jingnu said, "Although Young Master Jiang did not say it directly, it must be related to you."
As she ran her fingertips over the delicate white petals, Xue Rongyue said unhurriedly, "Brother? I thought it was all over after that secret letter. Is there something Jiang Shiyan is hiding from you?"
Jingnu asked, "Is Madam going to keep her appointment?"
Xue Rongyue smiled and said, "Of course, how would we know what he's up to if we didn't go?"
Recalling the contents of the original book, Xue Rongyue's smile deepened, but there was no smile in her eyes, instead, a barely perceptible coldness emanated from them.
At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), at the Hudong Tea House.
Hearing footsteps approaching and stopping at the door, Jiang Shiyan turned around and saw the door creak open, revealing Xue Rongyue.
Through a screen veiled in misty gauze, one could glimpse the beautiful figure that had haunted his dreams for days. Jiang Shiyan took a deep breath to barely suppress the surging emotions in his heart. He lowered his eyes and bowed, saying, "Madam Xue, it's been several months since we last met. It's been a long time."
Xue Rongyue's gaze swept across the quiet house, finally landing on Jiang Shiyan: "I'm afraid it's inappropriate for Young Master Jiang to invite me here."
Jiang Shiyan's jaw tightened noticeably, his lowered eyelashes concealing a fleeting hint of hatred: "I know that Lady Xue is engaged to Prince Qin, but..."
His seemingly calm and even voice betrayed a hint of resentment as he said in a deep voice, "Does Madam Xue really think that Prince Qin is a suitable match?"
With a slight lift of her eyebrows, Xue Rongyue said leisurely, "I wonder what Young Master Jiang means by this?"
Jiang Shiyan looked towards the window: "Please, Madam Xue, come and see for yourself."
Seeing Jiang Shiyan's confidence, Xue Rongyue's brow twitched slightly. Instead of going inside, she walked towards an open window in the corridor outside the room. A quick glance revealed two figures not far away on the street—
Qin Jin walked in front, followed by a pretty young woman with a graceful figure. She tightly clutched a handkerchief in her hand and held a box in her arms. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her almond-shaped eyes looked at Qin Jin's back with unspoken words.
Although the distance between the two was not close or intimate, they were by no means strangers. The young woman followed him closely, showing no intention of leaving, and Qin Jin had no intention of driving her away.
The footsteps stopped behind him, followed by Jiang Shiyan's voice, tinged with a chilling resentment: "Young Master Qin is of noble birth and handsome appearance. Countless young ladies in Chang'an are infatuated with him, flocking to his side one after another. But Young Master Qin is a playboy who frequents brothels and leaves his mark everywhere. Such incidents will only increase in the future. Madam Xue is a woman who cannot tolerate any infidelity. How long can she tolerate it after marriage?"
Silently watching the two figures gradually disappear into the bustling crowd, Xue Rongyue suddenly smiled slowly. She turned to look at Jiang Shiyan: "I thought it was something serious. Please be careful with your words, Mr. Jiang."
Jiang Shiyan's expression froze.
Xue Rongyue said slowly, "I saw that the two of them were very polite and did not say a word. They did not overstep any boundaries. Your words may have been acceptable to Prince Qin, but they have truly humiliated that young lady."
Clenching his fist, Jiang Shiyan's probing gaze fell directly on Xue Rongyue's face, and he said in a deep voice, "Even if you observe the proper etiquette today, what about tomorrow? What about the future? Can Madam Xue guarantee that the two of you will still observe the proper etiquette and not overstep the bounds in the future? Besides, even if it's not her, there will be someone else."
Xue Rongyue couldn't guarantee the future, but she didn't want to give Jiang Shiyan his wish either. She raised an eyebrow and deliberately asked, "So what?"
Jiang Shiyan was taken aback by the question.
"The imperial decree for our marriage has been issued. Does Mr. Jiang mean he is willing to plead with His Majesty to rescind the decree for my sake? Or does Mr. Jiang have a way to get His Majesty to rescind the decree?" Xue Rongyue asked with a half-smile.
Jiang Shiyan's face was grim: "The Emperor's will cannot be changed, I..."
"That's it. Young Master Jiang has no way to get His Majesty to rescind the decree." Xue Rongyue snorted, showing no mercy. "Did Young Master Jiang travel all the way back to Chang'an just to go to such lengths to sow discord?"
"If that's the case, then I have nothing more to say to you."
“Of course not.” Jiang Shiyan took a deep breath and stepped forward to block Xue Rongyue’s steps as she was about to leave. “I have something to report to Madam Xue regarding the whereabouts of Master Xue.”
Xue Rongyue stopped in her tracks, her thick eyelashes drooping, a barely perceptible glint of light flashing in her eyes: "Is that so? Tell me about it."
"After being chased to the edge of a cliff by bandits, Xue Langjun did not die. Instead, he was found by villagers who lived nearby, who took him in and cared for him carefully to help him recover. According to the hunter, Xue Langjun had almost fully recovered when he left..."
Jiang Shiyan's words were similar to what his brother and Luo Zhen had found out. Perhaps because the plot concerning his brother had been completely repaired, the villagers who had forgotten his brother's existence began to "remember" him again.
As Luo Zhen investigated along the way, he quickly found the hunter who had saved his brother and learned about the situation at that time.
On this point, Jiang Shiyan did not hide anything, but Xue Rongyue still could not believe him. Upon hearing this, she pretended to be anxious and asked tentatively, "And then? Have you been able to find out where your brother went after he left?"
Jiang Shiyan raised his eyelids and sighed: "After Xue Langjun left the village, he could no longer be traced. Logically speaking, he should have returned to Chang'an."
"Yes, he should have gone back to Chang'an..." Xue Rongyue said with a sense of loss. "Where did my brother go? Why hasn't he come to see me yet? Why did he disappear without a trace after leaving the village? My men have been searching for so long, but they haven't been able to find a single clue..."
Xue Rongyue made no attempt to conceal the fact that she had sent people out to investigate. Since Jiang Shiyan was able to send back the secret letter one after the other with Luo Zhen, he must be fully aware of Luo Zhen's investigation, so there was no need to hide it anymore.
Jiang Shiyan subtly observed Xue Rongyue's absent-minded appearance, but found nothing amiss. He then comforted her, saying, "Madam Xue, don't worry. The world is vast, and there's always a place for you. Now that you know that Master Xue is still alive, that's a good thing."
"I heard that Gao Hongxi, who colluded with the bandits, has been arrested. I think the real culprit behind this will soon be revealed."
Seeing that Jiang Shiyan could say nothing more, Xue Rongyue felt slightly relieved. She knew he absolutely could not know her brother's current identity and whereabouts; this man was cunning and a hypocrite. Too lazy to continue the pretense, Xue Rongyue casually accepted his reassurance, stood up, and prepared to leave.
This time, Jiang Shiyan did not stop her, nor could he find an excuse to stop her. His narrow eyes were fixed on Xue Rongyue's back, his gaze following her like a venomous snake hissing and flicking its tongue.
Only after getting into the carriage and the curtains fell did Jingnu breathe a sigh of relief, muttering, "I don't know why, but this Young Master Jiang is quite refined and dignified, yet every time I see him, I feel uncomfortable and uneasy."
Xue Rongyue's brow twitched, and she stared blankly at the maid who was patting her chest to catch her breath. Then she said in a low voice, "If you see him again in the future, you should stay at the manor to rest."
Jingnu pouted: "I don't want to. I'll go wherever my wife goes."
Fearing that Xue Rongyue might bring up the matter again, she quickly changed the subject and asked, "My lady, do you think Young Master Jiang is trustworthy?"
Xue Rongyue chuckled lightly, her laughter carrying undisguised coldness: "How can anyone believe someone who can abandon their own mother?"
Jingnu was stunned for a moment, then realized and said, "Yes, putting aside everything else, after arriving in Chang'an, Jiang Langjun has never visited his birth mother, Madam Xu. In fact, Madam Xu was imprisoned in Qingxin Nunnery because of him. As a son, he should have visited her as soon as he returned."
"He can't even be filial and kind to his own mother who is devoted to him, let alone others."
As Xue Rongyue listened to Jingnu's lament, she lifted a corner of her veil with her fingertips and looked at the bustling street. Her brows furrowed without her noticing.
Jiang Shiyan's seductive words echoed in my mind again—
"But Prince Qin is a playboy who frequents brothels and has affairs everywhere. Such incidents will only increase in the future."
"Even if we observe proper etiquette today, what about tomorrow? What about the future? Can Madam Xue guarantee that the two of us will continue to observe proper etiquette and not overstep boundaries in the future? Besides, even if it's not her, there will be others."
"......"
The knot of resentment in her heart grew heavier and heavier. Xue Rongyue's fingertips, gripping the curtain tightly, turned white from the force. Her face was cold, her brows furrowed, and the displeasure emanating from her was so strong that even the maidservant beside her noticed something was wrong. She asked cautiously, "Madam, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Taking a deep breath, Xue Rongyue didn't want others to notice her displeasure, which she herself couldn't quite explain. She loosened her grip on the curtain and said lightly, "It's nothing, I'm just a little bored sitting here."
Hearing this indifferent tone, Jingnu felt a chill for some reason. She shrank her neck and looked at Xue Rongyue, whose expression was becoming increasingly unpleasant. She hesitated to speak, but in the end, she didn't dare to say anything more.
The carriage moved slowly forward, passing through the busiest market in Chang'an. The sounds of vendors hawking their wares and the cheers of street performers filled the air, but Xue Rongyue seemed not to hear them at all.
Even though she tried her best to hide it, her icy expression had already given her away. Her fingertips were tightly gripping the handkerchief. Xue Rongyue narrowed her eyes and suddenly remembered the box that the young lady was holding—it looked like it was for storing jewelry.
Since the two were walking one after the other, and the young woman's eyes were so full of affection, could it be that Qin Jin had given her that gift?
Qin Jin actually dared to give jewelry to someone else?!
How could he give away jewelry to someone else!
What was given as a gift?
Hairpins, hair ornaments, or jade bracelets, or perhaps all of them?
An unnamed fire suddenly ignited in Xue Rongyue's heart, and she couldn't control it. It was as if someone kept adding firewood to the fire. She tried to suppress it again and again, but her anger not only didn't subside, but intensified, showing a tendency to soar into the sky and become uncontrollable.
Xue Rongyue suddenly stood up abruptly. However, since it was a carriage, there was a loud crash as her head slammed against the carriage wall. Her vision went black, and she felt dizzy. Jingnu cried out in alarm and quickly helped her up. The coachman also reined in the horse and asked anxiously, "Madam, what's wrong?"
The hard slam did not extinguish Xue Rongyue's raging anger; instead, it shattered most of her rationality. Xue Rongyue's face turned icy cold as her fingertips haphazardly touched her hair, pulling off the hairpin that Qin Jin had given her earlier and throwing it on the ground.
Xue Rongyue commanded in a deep voice, "Immediately change course and go to Qin Jin's private residence. I need to see him!"
Hearing this, and seeing Xue Rongyue's gloomy face, Jingnu scratched her head, feeling that she understood but not quite. She wanted to ask a question, but after stealing a glance at Xue Rongyue's face, she thought that her life was more important and kept her mouth tightly shut.
***
As darkness fell, the sun began to set in the west, disappearing behind the distant mountains, taking with it the last rays of the setting sun that clung to the branches. The deep night spread out, enveloping the streets and alleys of Chang'an.
Not long after the imperial edict was issued today, Qin Jin was summoned to the palace and kept there by His Majesty for most of the day until dinner was served before being released.
Dismounting, Qin Jin rubbed his aching temples from a long day's work and stepped into the mansion. He was about to instruct Guang Sheng to prepare water for a bath when, before he could even speak, a voice colder than the winter wind drifted from behind him, seemingly carrying shards of ice. Startled, Qin Jin stumbled, his eyelids twitching violently—
"The young master is back? I thought he had somewhere else to go tonight."
Xue Rongyue walked out from behind the gate unhurriedly, a slight smile playing on her lips. Her usually charming face was colder and more somber than the night.
Such a cold tone was no different from that of a female ghost demanding a life. Qin Jin's heart skipped a beat. If he hadn't recognized Xue Rongyue's voice, he would have blurted out a terrified "It's haunted!"
He turned around, still shaken, and asked, "Why are you here?"
This statement undoubtedly set off firecrackers.
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Author's Note: There's no female rivalry, only male rivalry. Xiaoyue's dissatisfaction will only be directed at the Crown Prince. [Sprinkling flowers]
Good night, see you tomorrow~
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